Lily Potter - Her own challenge
by deluminator
Summary: It's Lily's fifth year at Hogwarts, and the Triwizard Tournament is held. When someone very unexpected is chosen as the Hogwarts Champion, Lily becomes depressed and makes choices that she'll regret later. Or will she? After all, her big mistake leads into the greatest thing in her life. A/N Rated T for some language, small mentions of sex and alcohol.
1. Prologue

**A/N This is my first next generation-story, so please, if you see any gaping mistakes about the characters, let me know. English is also ****_not_**** my first language, so I'll probably have some grammar errors, or other errors, and I would appreciate it if you would let me know so I don't do the same mistake twice.**

**Disclaimer: I'm not J. K. Rowling. This world is hers, and the characters that you recognize are also hers. Not mine. Though I wish…**

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Prologue

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She was writing.

_We all have to make the choice between what is right and what is easy. That was something my father had told me since I was a little child, but whom he has heard it from I don't know. Without any doubt, it has to be someone truly wise._

_I never thought much about this quote, but that's probably because I've never had very hard choices to make. My life has until now been very normal – even boring at most times. I'm fifteen and I don't feel like my life has even started yet. I just need something to happen… something exciting._

_ One of the first choices I can remember that I had to make was when I was four. I think the alternatives had been chocolate and strawberry. I chose chocolate._

_A decision that I was absolutely sure was the right to make, was back when I was eleven and had the Sorting hat placed on my head. It had seriously considered putting me in Ravenclaw, but I had denied. Of course I had, my right place to be was in Gryffindor. I've never told anyone though. Wonder what my life in Ravenclaw would have been like… or actually, I don't want to know what could have been. I'm too afraid that I'm going to regret the choice I made back then._

Lily closed her diary quickly when she heard steps coming towards her bedroom. She put it underneath her clothes in the suitcase and leaned back in her bed, staring at the roof as if she had been doing it for the last couple of minutes.

'We'll leave in about ten minutes, Lil,' said a deep male voice, and Lily looked down from the roof to see which one of her brothers had just entered the room. Her guess had been right. It was Albus. He got taller probably by the minute, and had black hair and green eyes. A lot like his father, in fact.

'How will we get there?' Lily asked her mother when she got downstairs. They were putting on their coats in a hurry, because they were already late. It was just the typical Potter family.

'Same way as always,' said Ginny, 'with the Knight bus.'

Lily sighed. She'd hope that they for once could drop it, because none of her previous experiences with the bus had been very enjoyable. It made them all sick, so why they had to ride it she didn't understand.

'Can't we just travel with Floo Powder?' asked Albus while he tied his shoes.

'Gosh, Al, have _you_ seen many fire places at King's Cross?' mumbled Lily. 'And by the way – why don't you just use magic to tie your shoes? This is taking forever.'

'I don't see it as necessary to put my wand out for everything. Everyday stuff is something I should be able to do physically, or else I would be too addicted to my wand,' explained Albus and Lily just rolled her eyes at him. 'See you, Bunner!' she yelled to their House elf when she closed the door behind her.

The bus ride had been terrible like Lily had predicted, but they all arrived at King's Cross Station in one piece, and surprisingly they got there on time.

'Be good people, now,' said Ginny and gave both of her underage children a hug and a kiss.

'And can you please _try _to stay away from trouble?' Harry mumbled as he hugged them. Lily saw that he whispered something to Albus, but she didn't hear what he said.

'What do you mean by that?' asked Albus, not even trying to keep a low voice.

'I'm just saying that you'll get to make a choice this year, and I beg you to think twice before entering anything dangerous,' said Harry, 'you'll understand later.'

Neither Albus nor Lily knew what he was talking about, and after a few more goodbye words, Albus and Lily went on the train with Hugo and Rose as they always did, and they found a compartment with Roxanne and Lucy. Lucy was a Prefect and Rose was a Head girl, so they both had to go and sit with the rest of the prefects and Head students for some information.

'How do you think this year is going to turn out?' asked Roxanne and sat down by the window. She was starting her fifth year as well, and she had long dark hair and brown eyes like her mother and her skin was sun tan. She was very pretty.

'As always, I guess,' said Hugo, 'but it'll be very much fun to have Teddy as a DADA teacher, I bet he's very good.'

They all nodded in agreement, but Lily thought it would actually be quite weird and perhaps even awkward. Teddy had been staying several times a week at their house until he was around twenty, and now that he was twenty five he still visited quite a lot. It would defiantly be weird to call him _Professor Lupin_, when Lily saw him as an older brother and sometimes a best buddy.

'As long as he doesn't crack up in laughter, I think it'll be fine,' said Albus and they laughed. But Lily knew that also Albus would have difficulties to take Teddy seriously as a professor, when they both knew him as well as they did.

'Oh, I remember the times Teddy had the biggest crush on our dear cousin Victorie. Too bad it didn't last…' mumbled Roxanne, but it didn't seem like she thought it was too bad at all. Lily tried hard not to make a face when she imagined Roxanne having a crush on Teddy.

After a few minutes silence, Rose and Lucy entered the compartment. They started talking about some new rules that would be. This year, it was for example not allowed to eat food while on the Quidditch tribunes. Lily couldn't remember that she had ever seen a person eat there, but she didn't say anything.

'So how's the love?' asked Rose, and it took a while before Lily understood that it was her she was talking to.

'Fading,' said Lily truthfully. Her boyfriend, a seventh year in Gryffindor with the name Ethan MacArcher, she hadn't seen since last term. She didn't have feelings for him, and they really didn't talk much at all. The little time that they had spent together last year they had been either making out or fighting. Why they didn't end it, she didn't know. But it didn't bother Lily that people thought they were in love, because it kept other boys away. No fourth years – now fifth years, wanted to come on the wrong side with a seventh year.

And it wasn't that Lily didn't like boys, 'cause she did, but she did find them quite annoying sometimes, especially when someone she didn't even know suddenly asked her what she was going to do in the weekend.

Harry had told Lily that she had been given her mother's looks, and that she should be grateful about it. But Lily wasn't sure she agreed about the grateful-part.

'Fading?' asked Rose disappointed. 'But the two of you were like in each other's throats last year…'

'Please, Rose, do you _have_ to?' Albus interrupted her and made a face.

'Sorry,' she said quickly, 'but seriously Lily – what happened?'

'Nothing happened. That's the problem, we never tried to make more out of the relationship, and we barely even talked together,' Lily mumbled as she started to change into her school robes. The whole compartment was family, so she didn't have to ask anyone to go outside while she changed. Soon the rest of them also started to put on their robes and silence once more hit them.

When they began to get closer to Hogsmeade, Lucy had to wake up Hugo, Albus and Roxanne who had all fallen asleep.

They walked out of the train and into the cold night, and they were all ready for a new fun, challenging, hard and probably surprising year at Hogwarts.

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**A/N What do you think? It's only a prologue where I introduce some of the characters that'll have a role in the story, but I still think it's necessary. Please review!**


	2. The Triwizard Tournament

**A/N Here's the first chapter after the prologue. I hope you enjoy it! For disclaimer see chapter 1.**

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- Chapter one -

The Triwizard Tournament

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'Is that you, Lily?' someone yelled after her when she walked towards a carriage. Of course she turned around for the voice and saw Ethan standing now just a few meters behind her, walking closer. He was tall, with brown hair and dark eyes. Very good-looking indeed.

'You're just imagining things, Ethan,' Lily joked with a little smile on her mouth.

'Oh – well… if that's the case I guess I'll just walk right pass you, then,' said Ethan and laughed when he gave Lily a kiss on her forehead. 'How's your holiday been?' he asked.

It didn't bother her at all to talk to him, because he was a very nice guy, but she didn't have any romantic feelings for him at all and she knew that he felt the same way. Lily had had a crush on Ethan since third grade, but only because he was a handsome Quidditch player that was always nice to her.

They reached a carriage where Lucy and Hugo already were sitting, in company with a guy in Ravenclaw that Lily did not know. He was short with sandy brown hair and had blue eyes which he closed when he leaned back, not noticing that his head was only now a few inches from the back of one of the Thestrals.

Yes, Lily could see Thestrals. Ever since second year she'd been able to see them. She had been visiting grandpa Arthur, who was at St. Mungo's to check something that had something to do with snake bites he'd gotten a long time ago. When she was waiting outside in the hallway, a man collapsed besides her. Of course everyone thought that he'd just fainted. Lily had been impulsive, though, and checked for heartbeats at once. It was none there.

'Who're the two of you?' asked the unknown boy and opened his eyes when Lily and Ethan entered the carriage. His voice was not nice at all, but not demanding either. He actually sounded terrified for no known reason.

'Err…I'm Lily,' she said. 'Fifth year in Gryffindor.' Lily turned towards Ethan because it didn't look like he had heard the question. Or perhaps he just didn't care. 'And his name is Ethan MacArcher and he's a seventh year in Gryffindor,' she said and nodded towards Ethan who didn't take much notice of being mentioned. 'And you?' Lily asked.

'My name's David Lee, and I'm a fourth year in Ravenclaw. But what's your surname, then?'

'Um, it's Potter,' Lily mumbled. To her pleasant surprise it didn't look like this awkward David Lee knew anything about her parents' fame.

'The two of you are dating?' asked David and looked from Lily, to Ethan, and back to Lily again. Lily looked over at Rose and Hugo, and both of them were looking in other directions trying hard not to laugh. Suddenly she felt Ethan's eyes on her and she swallowed.

'Err…well – yes,' said Lily and she closed her eyes when she felt Ethan's lips on her forehead once more.

They arrived at the castle and walked straight into the beautiful Great Hall. The first thing Lily noticed when she sat down in the middle of Lucy and Roxanne at the Gryffindor-table, was the differences in the staff members. They had a new Potions master who was a woman with short, blonde hair and a round face. The main change that Lily noticed was the young man with turquoise, stylish hair, who was placed in the DADA seat. Teddy Lupin. _Professor_ Lupin, she reminded herself. She caught his eye and he waved at all of the Gryffindors that he knew – Lily, Albus, Rose, Hugo, Lucy and Roxanne. They all laughed and waved back at him.

As always, Hagrid was sitting some seats to the left and also he waved happily at them. Right next to him sat Professor Longbottom who also waved, and professor McGonagall. Lily noticed that Angelina Weasley, the Quidditch judge, wasn't there. Her seat was simply empty. Why wouldn't she attend the feast?

In the middle of them all sat the headmaster, Professor Delerope. If Lily remembered right, he was around ninety years old. He had shoulder long, grey hair in the consistence of cotton candy. He had dark eyes behind a couple of square glasses, but after all, his face looked kind and welcoming when he rose up from his chair after the sorting was done.

'Welcome, students and staff, to another year at Hogwarts. First, a few ground rules that you'll be wise to remember,' he started in a calming voice. It was always the same – the dark forest is forbidden, not allowed to use magic in the hallways etc.

'Now, lets eat,' said Professor Delerope and sat down when food entered the tables.

'So have you heard?' said Blaine Mimsey, a muscular sixth year, while he placed chicken on his plate. 'Dad works at the ministry you know, but he didn't really want to tell me. I just overheard him talking to Henricus Barrow, the Head of International Magical Coordination.'

'What do you mean?' asked Hugo.

'Don't tell me you_ don't_ know, Hugo,' said Blaine in a surprised tone. 'Doesn't your mother work at the Ministry? And what about you, Lily?' he turned towards her. 'Your father _is_ the head of the Auror Office, after all.'

'Well,' said Lily, 'it's not like you would have known either if you hadn't overheard your father talking to Barrow. But since you know, would you care to tell us at all what you're talking about?'

'Oh, I'm sure Professor Delerope will tell you all about it,' said Blaine with a pleased smile.

Lily thought about this. Could it possibly have something to do with what her father had told Albus at King's Cross earlier today? And if so, why had Harry only told Albus about it, and not her?

The meal was as delicious as always, and when they were done eating, Professor Delerope rose up from his arm chair once more and looked around at the students in the Great Hall. The talking died out and everyone went completely silent. Lily thought that they all knew that they were going to get a special message now.

'I'm pleased to inform you,' said Professor Delerope, 'that Hogwarts will this year be the host of The Triwizard Tournament.'

The excitement in the hall burst out, and everyone who knew what the tournament was about gasped and started to whisper about their knowledge.

Lily caught Albus's eye and they swallowed. They had both heard the story of their father's fourth year at Hogwarts and the fact that Voldemort had used it as an entry back to life.

'It can't be,' gasped Lucy, 'it just can't be.'

'But I thought they had ended it?' said Rose surprised.

'No, no,' mumbled Roxanne. 'They just put an age line on it last time. Only those of age were allowed to compete.'

'Like that worked out perfectly,' muttered Lucy and looked worriedly at Lily. 'You alright?' she asked.

Lily nodded and looked up at the staff table. All of the professors had of course known what was coming, but not all of them looked pleased. Professor McGonagall looked worried under her stern mask, she and Professor Flitwick shared a quick glance. Hagrid looked as though he was about to start sobbing at any moment, and Professor Longbottom looked down at the table, frowned. Teddy stared straight forward and was in deep thought. Lily was sure that they were all thinking of her father and poor Cedric Diggory who had been murdered.

'Silence,' roared Professor Delerope. 'This year's competition will be between HogwartsSchool –' some of the students cheered loudly, ' – Durmstrang Institute and BeauxbatonsAcademy.'

'Aunt Fleur went to Beauxbatons, didn't she?' Hugo asked and looked at the others who nodded.

'The Triwizard Tournament contains three parts – three tasks. These are considered extremely dangerous, and only the true champion from each school will manage to succeed. However, the age line is like last time, at seventeen –'

Aggression and complaining came from loads of people whom were still underage, Blaine being one of them. Lily looked at the Slytherin table where most of the complains came from and she saw that Scorpius Malfoy looked quite satisfied where he sat between the huge Logan Wolfe and the pretty, blonde haired Patricia DeBiele. Lily couldn't help but wonder if he was going to attend the tournament.

' – so only students of age before Halloween will be able to attend,' continued Professor Delerope. 'That's the rule. We'll have another meeting in the Great Hall at 7th of October when our guests from the other schools arrive, at the 24th when we're going to give you more information about how to attend, and at the 31st when the champions will be chosen. Now, our professors will hand out your time schedules, and then you're off to bed.'

The talking started once Professor Delerope stopped. So this was what Harry had meant at King's Cross.

'He didn't say anything about Quidditch practise. Do you know anything, Albus?' asked Roxanne.

'No, no, I haven't heard anything. I didn't even know about this tournament – I mean, I'm the captain. They should tell me if I'm going to have a team this year,' muttered Albus.

Lily looked over at the staff table and saw that it was almost empty. That reminded her. 'Aunt Angelina isn't here either. Perhaps there'll be no Quidditch this year,' she said.

Teddy and Professor McGonagall were at the end of the Gryffindor table and had started to handle out schedules.

'Wonder what this year will be like,' said Hugo.

'Probably a bit different than the last ones. We'll have the tournament for one thing and no Quidditch, and upon that this year's our O.W.L. year. I've heard it's tough,' mumbled Lucy unhappily.

'Oh, it is,' said Rose. 'I would advice you to start reading for the exams as soon as possible, actually. The nerves won't bother you that much then. And of course you'll have much more homework this year. In my fifth year I started to read and practise as soon as I got my books. But of course I didn't understand it all at once. In fact –'

'Rose, please,' muttered Roxanne heavily while Rose gasped for breath. 'You're not exactly helping.'

'Fine,' said Rose sternly between her teeth, and then she turned around to follow some first years to the Common Room.

'I have your time schedule, Ms. Potter,' said a familiar voice, and Lily who had been watching Rose, turned around to Teddy.

'Oh don't you "Ms. Potter" me, _Professor Lupin_,' she smiled and gave him a short hug. He laughed and gave her the paper.

'So you'll start your classes tomorrow with double Potions, and – aha, double Defence against the Dark Arts,' said Teddy and tapped the schedule with his wand.

'Who are the Gryffindors sharing DADA with this year?' asked Lily, looking down at the rest of her schedule and felt her heart jumping up to her throat. This year would be busy.

'Ravenclaw, if I'm not mistaking. If you're hoping to avoid Slytherin this year, I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you,' said Teddy and tapped the schedule again. 'Divination, Potions and Charms with the green ones.'

Lily sighed. 'Fantastic,' she said full of sarcasm.

'I'm sure it won't be too bad,' mumbled Teddy, but he didn't sound very truthful. 'Anyways, guess I'll see you in class tomorrow. And Lily – I want to speak to you and Albus when you have time. Just give me a wink, okay?' he said and looked over at Albus who was busy discussing his time schedule with Professor McGonagall. Lily nodded. 'Yeah,' she said. 'And good luck, Teddy.'

He smiled. 'Thanks.' And then he walked further down the table, passing other students their schedules.

She was tired when she climbed all the stairs up to the Common Room together with Lucy, Hugo and two other fifth year Gryffindors, Emilia Drew, who was a thin and short girl with long, light brown hair and bangs, and Matteus Thompson, a tall, handsome boy with black hair and dark eyes.

'Merci Delecante,' said Lucy confident. She was the only one that knew the password because of her Prefect status.

'Merci indeed,' said The Fat Lady and let them enter. They walked up to the top of the staircase where their beds were waiting for them. Roxanne and her best friend, Melody were already there, sleeping in their beds.

'So do you think anyone from Gryffindor will be a champion?' asked Emilia eager once she got into her bed.

'I don't know… I think it could be. We're supposed to be brave, aren't we? As long as it's not Albus or Rose I guess I'm fine with it,' whispered Lily and quickly changed into her nightgown.

'What about Ethan, then?' asked Lucy.

'Truthfully – I have no idea. I don't know if I care about him that much,' mumbled Lily and closed her eyes. They fell silent. Before they knew it, they were sleeping tightly.

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**A/N What do you think? Is it too lame? **

** Relationships I'm going to focus on in this story are the friendships between Lily/Lucy and Lily/Teddy, the family bond between Lily/James/Albus/Harry/Ginny even though James doesn't come in before later. I also like to think that McGonagall is a huge fond of the Potters and Weasleys, so we'll probably see some of her love for them. Romantic relationship is right now Lily/Ethan, but like you've read they haven't got feelings for each other, and Lily/OC that I won't reveal yet, but I'm sure I'll get different reactions on it. Some of the other students will also get together.**

**I got a PM from a person wondering why the Teddy/Victorie-relationship didn't work out, and I'm going to reveal that later on in the story.**

**I also got questions on why I didn't mention Luna's or Neville's children, and truthfully it's because this is AU, and I just want to see some variation in age. I feel that almost all of the next generation are the same age, so I want to see some younger and some older. Maybe I'll mention Luna's or Neville's children as not started at Hogwarts yet, or finished Hogwarts. We'll see.**

**Please review!**


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